The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-04-13
THE ISLE OF CAPRI.
Interesting Chat About Its Inhabitants
and Their Curious Customs.

Interesting Chat About Its Inhabitants
and Their Curious Customs.
After the fall of the Roman Empire
Capri fell a prey to barbarians, then
again to the Greeks; becoming the prop
erty of the Greek Duke of Naples, and
afterward became part of the republic
of Amalf. In 1906 the English took
possession of the island from the
Neapolitans and held it in the name OF
King Ferdinand of Sicily, placing it
under command of Sir Hudson Lowe,
who afterward became famous as the
jailer of st. Helena. In 1903 it was
wrested from the English by the
French followers of Murat and Sir Hud-
son Lowe taken prisoner to Naples.
The inhabitants are exceedingly poor,
the women working from early morn.
ing till late on the farms or vineyards,
or carrying stones and mortar on their
heads to builders for only few sous
II day. Their breakfast is only dry
bread, and lentels comprise their
dinner, varied by maccaroni on gala
occasions. However hard their lot,
they seem to be happy, and one can not
but admire their picturesque appear
ance when employed in their laborious
occupations. Notwithstanding their
poverty, nearly all the women have
ornaments of gold or silver, such as
earrings, necklaces or an amulet,
which they display even when engaged
in the hardest work. The children
wear an amulet in shape of horn OF
coin, with an image of the Virgin, OF
perhaps an embroidered Madonna,
about their necks as a charm against
'he evil eye.
Very few men are found on The
island, as they can spend their time
more proftably elsewhere. Many &C
TO the coast of Africa seeking coral,
when is also gathered in small guam
~ities at Capri. Those who remain are
mostly engaged as fishermen and arc
formed into a company having their
boats and profits in common. Large
quantities of quail visit the island as a
resting place while migrating and fall
n victim to the sportsman, who spreads
net for their capture and stands
ready to shoot those escaping its
meshes. The phrase that oftenest
greets the ear is "Dotemi TN sogdo' or
"Datemi mn baisccho" give me cent?.
Not in the tone one expects to hear
aims solicited, but simply demanded a,
right, soldi seeming to be the one
idea inseparably linked in their minds
with q sight of strangers. You need
not labor under the delusion you would
be allowed to 60 out at Capri and fol-
low your own sweet will ungiuded. You
would hardly emerge from your door
when boy or two would Immediately
attach themselves to you, persisting in
acting as guide, in spite of commands
or entreaties to be let alone.
When a visitor is leaving his hotel
the whole army of domestics range
themselves in double Tow, leaving
narrow passage for his exit between
them, and as he passes along is greeted
by each individual with "Adieu
senore," "Adieu senore," "Adieu,"
which of course is meant us gentle re-
minder, though service was included in
the bill. that a gratuity is expected. Of
all European countries, Italy is the worst
for this system of perpetual blood
sucking of travellers, the only conso-
lation being that money goes long
way there, and very small fees are
enough to suffice each applicant.
Cirque soldi-five cents-goes quite as
far there as five times the amount
would here. Beside outdoor occupa-
ton, the women are engaged in weav-
ing ribbons and other fabrics and in
raising silk; one often sees them busy
stripping the mulberry trees of their
leaves to feed the worms The null
berry grows luxuriantly there, also ivy,
clematis, blackberry, the olive, the
prickly pear and the grapevine. which
adorns nearly every cottage, falling in
picturesque profusion around the per-
COLA or arbor of vines to be seen at
most of these island dwellings. Oranges
and lemons also grow here to enormous
size, especially the latter, which are
relished by the nrtives and swallowed
without wincing a muscle, though cut
up with a steel knife and innocent of
sugar.-Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.